Next GameAfter shooting the lights out in Philadelphia on Monday, Creighton (16-3, 6-1 BIG EAST) returns to host a three-game homestand beginning with Saturday’s 7:02 pm tilt with Georgetown (11-7, 3-4 BIG EAST). The game is sold out and will be at CenturyLink Center Omaha (17,390) in Omaha, Neb. Creighton will wear special pink/white jerseys and pink shoes as part of Creighton vs. Cancer weekend.

Radio Broadcast InformationKOZN (1620 The Zone) will broadcast all Creighton men’s basketball games during the 2013-14 season. John Bishop and Nick Bahe will call the action. The broadcast is also webcast live at 1620thezone.com. The pregame show “Bluejay Shootaround” is hosted by Josh Peterson and former Bluejay Josh Dotzler, and will air from 5:00 - 6:30 pm. Following the game, Tim Krueger and Heath Gunderson will host “Overtime” for approximately one hour, while also taking calls from listeners.

Broadcast InformationSaturday’s game will be broadcast nationwide on FOX Sports 1, with Gus Johnson and Bill Raftery on the call. In its last two games with Johnson & Raftery on the broadcast (Butler & Villanova), Creighton did not trail and outscored those teams 107-65 in the first half, eventually winning both contests by 28 points.

Live Stats InformationAll of Creighton’s games this season will have free live stats. Visit www.gocreighton.com and click on the Live Stats tab on the top of the page for a link the exact URL. Home games can also be followed by those who have mobile devices with internet capability at www.gocreightonstats.com.

Scouting CreightonCreighton owns a 16-3 record, including double-digit wins over Nebraska, Arizona State, Cal, Marquette, Seton Hall, Xavier, Butler and No. 4 Villanova. The Bluejays are alone in first place with a 6-1 season in its first BIG EAST campaign. Creighton has won 10 of its last 11 games and coming off Monday’s 96-68 victory over Villanova in a contest that saw the Bluejays sink a league-record 21 three-pointers. Five-time BIG EAST Player of the Week Doug McDermott (24.8 ppg., 7.1 rpg., 44.0 3FG%) is the nation’s only returning consensus First Team All-American, as well as the nation’s leading returning scorer. He’s led the Jays in scoring and rebounding each of the past three seasons, was named Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year, and has scored 19 or more points in all but one game this year.Austin Chatman (7.1 ppg., 3.8 rpg., 4.2 apg.) and Jahenns Manigat (8.6 ppg., 45.8 3FG%) help man the Bluejay backcourt and have combined for 141 assists against just 46 turnovers this year. Avery Dingman (3.0 ppg.) also sees time in the backcourt, starting the last three games after Grant Gibbs (6.1 ppg., 4.1 apg.) suffered a dislocated kneecap on Jan. 7 at DePaul that is expected to sideline him for a month. Helping to replace Gregory Echenique at the “5” spot have been the duo of Ethan Wragge (12.5 ppg., 50.0 3FG%) and Will Artino (6.1 ppg., 64.5 FG%). Creighton was picked to finish third in the 10-team BIG EAST Conference this winter after returning 11 lettermen and four starters from last year’s 28-8 team that reached the third round of the NCAA Tournament for a second consecutive season.

Scouting GeorgetownGeorgetown is 11-7 on the season, including a 3-4 mark in BIG EAST play. The Hoyas have lost three straight games in league play and four of five contests after a 2-0 start in conference action. D’Vauntes Smith-Rivera leads the team in scoring (17.5 ppg.), three-pointers (42) and steals (23), while also ranking third with 4.8 rebounds per game. Markel Starks (15.9 ppg.) is another high scoring guard and leads the team with 70 assists. Joshua Smith (11.5 ppg.) and Jabril Trawick (7.1 ppg.) have both missed time of late and their return dates have not been announced. As a team, the Hoyas average 72.3 points per game while shooting 47.0 percent from the field, 34.4 percent from downtown and 68.3 percent at the line. GU holds teams to a BIG EAST-best 39.3 percent shooting from the floor.

The CoachesGreg McDermott (Northern Iowa, 1988) is in the midst of his fourth season as head coach at Creighton. He led CU to a 28-8 mark last year, and is now 96-33 with the Bluejays. McDermott has previously been a head coach at Iowa State (2006-10), Northern Iowa (2001-06), North Dakota State (2000-01) and Wayne State (1994-2000). He owns a career mark of 376-228 in his 20th season and is 245-164 in his 13th Division I campaign. McDermott is assisted by Darian DeVries, Steve Lutz and Patrick Sellers. John Thompson III (Princeton, 1988) is 220-96 in his 10th season at Georgetown, moving his career mark to 288-138 in 14 seasons overall. He is the son of legendary Hoyas head coach John Thompson, and is assisted by Kevin Broadus, Tavaras Hardy and Kevin Sutton.

The Series With GeorgetownCreighton won the only previous meeting against Georgetown, an 80-79 victory on Dec. 30, 1970 in West Palm Beach, Fla., as part of the Gold Coast Classic.Greg McDermott is 0-1 all-time against Georgetown and coach John Thompson III, losing 54-49 in a first round game that took place in the 2006 NCAA Tournament. Thompson has never faced Creighton.

Seeking 500 Points, AgainDoug McDermott is second in the nation with 472 points this season, just 28 points away from his fourth straight season of 500 or more points. McDermott is already one of only four men in Creighton history with three straight seasons of 500 or more points, joining Paul Silas (1961-64), Bob Harstad (1988-91) and Rodney Buford (1996-99), and is seeking to become the first man to do it four times. Since 1997-98, the only players nationwide to post four seasons of 500 or more points are Troy Bell, Keydren Clark, James Florence, Tyler Hansbrough, Ronnie McCollum and Craig Smith. Of that group, only Clark and Hansbrough compiled four different seasons of 580 or more points, as McDermott has a chance to do.

Big Margins vs. Top 5According to ESPN.com, Creighton’s 96-68 win over No. 4 Villanova on Jan. 20 was a victory for the ages. The chart below signifies the largest margin of victory by an unranked team over a top-five team in the last 20 seasons.Year Winner Upset Victim Won By2011-12 Florida State #3 North Carolina 332008-09 Notre Dame #5 Louisville 332013-14 Creighton #4 Villanova 28

21 Three-Pointers Sets RecordsCreighton set a BIG EAST and school-record with 21 three-point baskets on Jan. 20 in a 28-point win at No. 4 Villanova. Creighton’s previous mark was 20, done vs. Chattanooga in 2005. The previous BIG EAST mark was 20, done by Notre Dame vs. Villanova in 2011 and by West Virginia vs. Marquette in 2006. The 21 three-pointers were the most by any college team since 2010, and according to Athlon Sports, the most in a game between major conference teams since Kentucky made 21 vs. North Carolina on Dec. 27, 1989. Creighton’s 35 three-point attempts tied the school record, done three times previously. Creighton broke the Wells Fargo Center record for three-pointers by a Villanova opponent late in the first half (the old mark was 12), and also set a mark for most points against ‘Nova at the Wells Fargo Center with 96, passing the old mark of 90.

Wragge “Balboa”Playing in a city where “Rocky” was filmed, Creighton senior Ethan Wragge put one of the most impressive shooting displays in recent college basketball history last Monday. Wragge shot 7-for-7 from three-point range in the first seven minutes at No. 4 Villanova, and would finish the first half with a career-best 24 points. He finished the game with 27 points, and his nine three-pointers tied the previous Creighton record held by Kyle Korver. Wragge’s nine trifectas were one shy of the BIG EAST single-game record. During the game, Wragge’s name and #WraggeBombs were both trending nationally on Twitter. In Creighton’s previous trip to Philadelphia on Nov. 16 to play Saint Joseph’s, Wragge drained a then-best seven three-pointers and scored 21 points.

Manigat Comes Up Big, TooLost in all the commotion of Ethan Wragge’s unreal shooting was the performance by his senior teammate Jahenns Manigat on Monday night. Manigat had a career-high 19 points, making 6-of-7 shots and 4-of-5 attempts from downtown. He also added five assists and a steal and did not have a turnover in 28 minutes of work.

Austin’s MarketAustin Chatman had a season-best 10 assists on Monday in the win at Villanova. The 10 helpers contributed to 29 points by his Bluejay teammates, nine three-pointers and a lay-up.

Top 25 Win, And MoreCreighton’s 96-68 win over No. 4 Villanova on Jan. 20 rewrote the record book in numerous ways. Consider...-The win over the No. 4 team matched the highest ranked team CU has ever beaten, previously No. 4 Arizona State on Dec. 13, 1963.-Creighton had lost 22 straight games against top-10 teams dating to 1974.-Creighton had lost 11 straight games against ranked teams since 2007.-Creighton had lost 25 straight true road games against ranked teams since a 1978 win over a Larry Bird-led Indiana State team.-Creighton improved to 19-118 all-time against ranked teams.-It was Creighton’s first win over a top-five team since Jan. 29, 1970. Creighton had been 2-25 all-time against top-five foes.-It was the highest-ranked team ever beaten by Greg McDermott, who improved to 8-25 all-time as a Division I head coach vs. ranked foes (1-3 at CU).-It was Creighton’s largest margin of victory in 137 games against a ranked team. The previous high was 12, done in a 53-41 win vs. No. 17 Illinois State in 1983.

Fun FactsEven more fun facts following Monday’s win vs. Villanova.-The victory made Creighton the nation’s only team with five true road wins and a top-25 strength of schedule, per WarrenNolan.com.-The 28-point loss was Villanova’s largest in 13 years under Jay Wright, the largest by ‘Nova since 2000-01 (93-65 at UCLA), and largest at home since the 1980-81 season when it lost to Notre Dame by a 94-65 count.-The 96 points were the most allowed by Villanova since the 2009-10 season, when the Wildcats surrendered 103 points to Georgetown.-The 28-point win marked Creighton’s largest in a conference road game since a 74-46 win at Indiana State on Jan. 29, 2003. CU’s last road win by more than 28 came on Feb. 16, 1925 at Morningside (46-16).

The 1 For Sports?Creighton looks to improve upon its 9-1 record on FOX Sports 1 this season when it hosts Georgetown on Saturday. In the six home games that FOX Sports 1 has aired from CenturyLink Center Omaha, the Bluejays have trailed for just 3:10 of those 240 minutes. Creighton hasn’t trailed on FOX Sports 1 in its last 227:25 of game time in Omaha after five straight wire-to-wire wins on the channel. In the 10 games on FOX Sports 1, Doug McDermott has averaged 25.4 points per game.

No Place Like HomeDoug McDermott is averaging 27.4 points per game at home this season in just 31.3 minutes per game. He’s scored 16.3 points per game in the first half at home this season, and reached double-figures before half in each contest. Each of Ethan Wragge’s last 50 field goals at home have been three-pointers. He last made a two-pointer at home on Jan. 8, 2013 vs. Drake.

What A Start!Creighton made a three-pointer on each of its first nine possessions in Monday’s win at No. 4 Villanova. Creighton started the game 7-for-7 from deep, missed a two-pointer but turned an offensive rebound into another trey, and then sank a trifecta on its ninth trip, as well. That brings to mind all sorts of fun stats.-According to Ken Pomeroy, Creighton became the first team since Indiana State in 2012 to make its first nine attempts from three-point range in a game. Pomeroy found evidence of six teams in the last five years to make their first nine attempts from downtown.-Pomeroy’s research also indicates that Creighton is the only team in the last five years to make nine straight three’s without any other scores to start a game.-Pomeroy also found that Creighton was the second team in five years to score each of its first 30 points via the three-pointer. Miami (Ohio) had its first 33 points vs. Western Michigan on Jan. 28, 2012.-The Villanova contest marked the third time in the last three years that Creighton’s made its first nine shots (of any distance). The Bluejays started 13-for-13 in a win vs. Campbell in November of 2011 and started 9-for-9 in a win vs. Illinois State in February of 2012.

1 If By Land, 2 If By Sea, 3 If By WraggeEthan Wragge owns 1,027 career points, but just 26 two-point field goals. Only one player since 1997 has scored 1,000 career points with fewer than career 40 two-pointers, Butler’s Bruce Horan (2003-06). Horan finished his career with 1,018 career points and just 12 two-pointers, thanks to 314 treys and 52 free throws. Since 2006-07, Wragge owns the nation’s only two seasons with at least 74 three-pointers and six or fewer two-point baskets, having done it last year (78 3’s, 6 2’s) and this season (74 3’s, 2 2’s). Wragge’s 74 treys this year are more than any other player since 1997-98 in a season with two or fewer two-point field goals. Horan owns the mark for most trifectas with three two-pointers with 113 (and 3 2’s) in 2005-06. Among active players, the active player with more than 1,000 career points and the second-fewest amount of two-pointers is Harvard’s Laurent Rivard (1,095 points; 86 two-pointers).

Racing To 75Ethan Wragge needed just 13 games to reach 50 three-pointers made this season. He was the second-fastest player in program history to reach the milestone, trailing only Kyle Korver (11 games) in 2002-03. In Korver’s magical 2002-03 season, he would finish with a school-record 129 three-pointers in 34 games, an average of 3.79 treys per game. By comparison, Wragge’s 74 three-pointers in 19 games this year are an even better 3.89 trifectas per contest. Below is a list of the fewest games to 75 three-pointers in program history. Wragge has played in 19 games this year and owns 74 three-pointers.Fewest Games Before Making 75th 3-PointerName Year Games to 75Kyle Korver 2002-03 16Tad Ackerman 1994-95 25Kyle Korver 2000-01 26Booker Woodfox 2008-09 27Kyle Korver 2001-02 28Rod Mason 1987-88 32Ethan Wragge 2012-13 35Doug McDermott 2012-13 35

Milestone Watch-Ethan Wragge is two three-pointers shy of 300 in his career.-Ethan Wragge can climb to 32nd place in school history with five points (passing Johnny Mathies).-Doug McDermott is two rebounds shy of moving into fourth place in Creighton history with 980, passing Bob Portman (1966-69).-Doug McDermott is 22 rebounds shy of 1,000. He would become the 20th player in NCAA history with 2,500 points and 1,000 rebounds (see chart, page 5).-Doug McDermott is six free throws made shy of moving into second place in Creighton history with 526, passing Elton Tuttle.-Doug McDermott is 15 points shy of moving into the top-20 in NCAA history in scoring, passing Byron Larkin (2,696) and Daren Queenan (2,703).-Austin Chatman is four assists shy of 300 in his career.-Jahenns Manigat is one made free throw shy of 100.

A KenPom Delight?Noted statistician Ken Pomeroy’s website, KenPom.com has numerous ratings that break down team efficiencies. The site consistently ranks Creighton’s offense among the nation’s best. Pomeroy’s site (through Jan. 21) ranks Creighton with the best mark nationwide in “Adjusted Efficiency” at 128.1 points per 100 possessions, first in “Effective Field Goal %” at 59.4 percent, first in three-point percentage at 43.7 percent and third in “Assists Per Field Goals Made” at 65.8 percent. Creighton’s 128.1 points per game is on pace to be the best mark in any of the last 10 seasons that Pomeroy’s web site tracks.

Grand Milestone Is ReachedEthan Wragge became the 37th man in Creighton history to reach 1,000 career points on Jan. 18 at Providence. He did it in the 132nd game of his career, more than any other player to reach the milestone.Games To 1,000 Points, Last 13 BluejaysName Games to 1,000 pts. DateEthan Wragge 132 01/18/14Gregory Echenique 101 03/24/13Doug McDermott 57 01/15/12Antoine Young 115 12/10/11Kenny Lawson Jr. 108 11/21/10P’Allen Stinnett 86 01/16/10Dane Watts 115 01/22/08Anthony Tolliver 124 03/16/07Johnny Mathies 91 03/03/06Nate Funk 92 02/28/05Kyle Korver 81 01/30/02Ben Walker 105 01/06/01Ryan Sears 97 12/01/00Rodney Buford 59 03/01/97

Shooting StarEthan Wragge has made multiple three-pointers in each of his last 15 games, a streak that began on Nov. 28 with a pair of trifectas vs. Arizona State. By comparison, Stephen Curry (in 2013) is the only NBA player in the last three years with multiple treys in 15 or more straight games, as he reached 19 games in a row. Wragge is 60-for-123 (48.8 percent) from downtown in the past 15 games. Wragge is the first Creighton player with multiple three-pointers in 15 straight games, two more than the previous mark set by Kyle Korver, who ended his career in 2003 with 13 such games. Wragge has made four or more three-pointers in 12 of 19 games this season for Creighton.

Shooting Towards A Triple CrownNot only is Creighton leading the nation in three-point percentage (43.6), but the Bluejays are making three-pointers at a record clip, as well. Creighton owns 216 three-pointers through 19 games this season, an average of 11.37 per game. In the NCAA Division I history, the only team to average more than 10.7 three-pointers per game was the Troy State squad (11.11) in 1995-96. It’s worth noting that this season Charleston Southern is averaging 11.17 treys per contest this season, as well.

Big Men, Big PromiseCreighton’s three top big men off the bench have all shown great promise in limited playing time of late.Will Artino has averaged 7.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in the last three games.Zach Hanson had 16 points and five rebounds in 16 minutes, while Geoffrey Groselle added 12 points and seven rebounds in 13 minutes during the last three games. Combined, the trio shot 22-for-27 from the floor (81.8 percent) and combined for 50 points and 26 rebounds in 67 minutes of work over the last three games.

Lumberjack Night on Feb. 7thCreighton fans are encouraged to grow a beard and wear their flannel for the team’s Feb. 7 home game vs. DePaul, in what’s being dubbed “Lumberjack Night”. A video at http://youtu.be/RwOrQY2rp_E, highlighting the accomplishments of bearded bomber Ethan Wragge attracted more than 10,000 views within 36 hours of its release.

Jays Earn 10 Home Wins, AgainWith a win vs. Butler on Jan. 14, Creighton clinched its 10th home win this season. Creighton has now won 10 or more home games in 18 straight seasons. The current streak is a school-record, six more than the previous standard of 12 straight seasons from the 1969-70 season to the 1980-81 campaign with 10 or more home wins. Creighton has won 10 or more home games in 35 of the last 45 seasons.

Player of the Week, AgainDoug McDermott was named BIG EAST Player of the Week on Jan. 13th, the fifth time this year he was honored. McDermott averaged 26.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists as Creighton posted wins over DePaul and Xavier. McDermott has now been named a league Newcomer or Player of the Week in 25 of 59 weeks since enrolling at Creighton. McDermott was also named National Player of the Week by the USBWA, NBCSports.com and CBS Sports.

Deadly From DowntownThrough games of Jan. 19th, Creighton led the nation with 195 three-point baskets and were third with 42.4 percent marksmanship from deep. In addition, Creighton was also third with 10.8 three-pointers per game. Creighton had made 10 or more three-pointers in all but three games (7 vs. George Washington, California and Butler), including a season-high 16 vs. Chicago State on Dec. 29, before just 4-of-19 shooting from deep at Providence last Saturday. Creighton also ranked first with 18.5 assists per game and in assist/turnover ratio (1.82), ninth in scoring margin (+15.9) and ninth in free-throw percentage (.760).Doug McDermott ranked second nationally in scoring average was also third in field goals made and total points.Ethan Wragge ranked third in three-point percentage, fifth in three-pointers made and sixth in three-pointers per game.Jahenns Manigat ranks fifth nationally with a 4.07 assist/turnover ratio, as well.

McDermott Among Wooden Award Top 25Senior Doug McDermott was one of 25 men named to the John R. Wooden Award Midseason Watch List on Wednesday, Jan. 22nd. This is the third straight year McDermott has been on the midseason top 25 chart.

McDermott Up For An OscarSenior Doug McDermott was one of 25 men named to the Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason Watch List on Thursday, Jan. 23rd. This is the third straight year McDermott has been on the midseason top 25 list that is determined by the USBWA.

Comparing OffensesCreighton has had one of the nation’s most effective and most efficient offenses in the past three seasons. With the nucleus from those teams still intact, we thought we’d take a second to compare the 2011-12 and 2012-13 teams to this year’s squad through 19 games:Stat 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14Record 17-2 17-2 16-3FG Made 554 535 544FG% .518 .518 .4953FG Made 163 182 2163FG% .450 .452 .436FT Made 283 248 265FT% .713 .747 .755Rebound Margin +5.4 +4.8 +5.1Assists 367 343 358Turnovers 245 229 191Scoring Average 81.8 78.9 82.6Scoring Margin +13.6 +17.6 +16.6

Poll PositionCreighton finished last season ranked 22nd in the final Associated Press poll, and made its 2013-14 debut in the top-25 poll on Nov. 18 when it was No. 23rd. The Jays then climbed to a season-best 20th the week of Nov. 25th. The Jays dropped out of the poll for six weeks before returning on Jan. 13th with a No. 20 ranking. Then, after a loss, CU is “26th” in this week’s edition. Creighton is 74-27 all-time when ranked in the AP poll. Including the Jan. 20 poll result, Creighton has been ranked 31 times in 69 weeks of AP polls under Greg McDermott, and ranked between 26th-to-28th in nine other AP polls. The 31 weeks in the top-25 under McDermott is more than any coach in Bluejay history. In the Jan. 20th USA Today Coaches poll, Creighton was ranked 24th.Most Weeks in AP Top 25 at CU, By CoachGreg McDermott, 2010-Pres. 31 (of 69)Dana Altman, 1994-2010 18Tom Apke, 1974-81 5Eddie Sutton, 1969-74 5

McDermott’s Quest For The Top 20Creighton senior Doug McDermott enters Monday’s game 22nd in NCAA history with 2,688 career points. If he reaches his season average of 25 points, McDermott would move up to 19th place, passing Byron Larkin, Daren Queenan and Reggie Lewis. And should McDermott eclipse his collegiate high of 44 points, he’s rise up to 18th in NCAA history in points. He is already the all-time leading scorer of any player to appear in a BIG EAST game, passing former Boston College great Troy Bell. McDermott has passed hoop legends Elgin Baylor, Bill Bradley, Sean Elliott, Jimmer Fredette, Joe Dumars, Calbert Cheaney, Don MacLean, Keith Van Horn, Stephen Curry, David Robinson and Wayman Tisdale in the NCAA record book during the last few weeks. Page three of this release lists every player in NCAA history to score 2,500 career points.

A Very Good AveryWith Grant Gibbs sidelined by injury, junior guard Avery Dingman stepped up in a big way against DePaul on Jan. 7. Dingman entered the game with 31 points (2.2 ppg.) in Creighton’s first 14 games this year, but exploded for 16 points in 18 minutes off the bench in the victory. Dingman made 6-of-8 shots from the field, including a four-point play. His 16 points were the second-most of any game in his 86-game career, while his five rebounds were the third-best game of his career. In his second career start, Dingman had a career-best seven rebounds in a career-high 27 minutes.

Road SuccessCreighton is 22-9 in true road games the past three years, and 34-12 when you also include neutral site games. This year’s team is 5-1 in true road games and 1-2 at neutral sites. Each of Creighton’s last 10 NCAA Tournament qualifiers have had 10 or more road/neutral wins.

New League, But Similar ResultsBelow is the records for each current BIG EAST school over the last four, eight and 14 (since 2000-01) seasons, ranked by overall wins. The three newcomers to the league, Butler, Creighton and Xavier, are at the top of nearly each category.Most Wins Since 2000-01 (1/23/14)Team W L Pct.Butler 332 126 .725Xavier 324 126 .720Creighton 324 131 .712Marquette 308 144 .681Georgetown 296 145 .671Villanova 291 159 .647Providence 227 197 .535 Seton Hall 222 199 .527St. John’s 203 217 .483DePaul 179 240 .427

Board Battle Is BigOne common theme during Creighton’s 10-game winning streak was that the Bluejays had won the rebound battle in nine contests, and lost it by just one in the other. In last Saturday’s loss, Creighton lost the glass battle 33-27, but the margin was double-digits most of the game. In seven BIG EAST contests, the Bluejays have collected 26 more rebounds than the opposition. Dating to last season Creighton has won 19 straight games when winning the battle of the boards, and 78-14 in four years under Greg McDermott when winning the rebound column.

Double-Figures x 5Creighton had five men score in double-figures on Jan. 7 at DePaul, as Doug McDermott (19), Avery Dingman (16), Ethan Wragge (12), Austin Chatman (10) and Will Artino (10) each did so. CU then placed five men in double-figures on Jan. 12 vs. Xavier as well, as McDermott (35), Wragge (15) and Chatman (12) were joined by Jahenns Manigat (11) and Devin Brooks (14). Prior to those two games, Creighton had five men score in double-digits just once in the first 14 games, as the Bluejays also did that in the opener vs. Alcorn State. That quintet included McDermott (20), Artino (12), Wragge (15), Brooks (15) and Manigat (13).

Assist Machine?Doug McDermott has 18 assists in Creighton’s last six games, including when he tied a career-high with five helpers at Seton Hall on Jan. 4th. The 18 assists have led directly to 48 points by his Bluejay teammates.

Link To GreatnessCreighton’s home, CenturyLink Center Omaha, has received several rave reviews in recent weeks. ESPN.com’s Jeff Goodman ranked it as the 10th best college basketball arena. ESPN’s Dick Vitale listed the facility among six on his “Bucket List”. Stadium Journey, a site that ranks arenas, named it the 18th-best venue in North America, and fourth-best among college basketball sites. Only Allen Fieldhouse (Kansas), Rupp Arena (Kentucky), FedEx Forum (Memphis) were ranked higher.

McDermott Named Player of the WeekCreighton senior Doug McDermott picked up two more awards on Jan. 6 as he was named National Player of the Week by CBSSports.com in addition to his BIG EAST Conference Player of the Week accolade. McDermott averaged 24.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game in double-digit victories over Marquette and Seton Hall. This was his fourth BIG EAST Player of the Week accolade this season, and his second National Player of the Week Award (also Nov. 18 from ESPN.com). In the write-up on McDermott from CBSSports.com, Gary Parrish writes “McDermott is, quite simply, having one of the greatest college careers in modern history.”

Injury UpdatesTwo key senior starters were injured against DePaul and underwent MRI’s on Jan. 7th. Guard Grant Gibbs (6.1 ppg., 4.1 apg.) was diagnosed with a dislocated kneecap and is expected to miss up to a month. Forward Doug McDermott (24.8 ppg., 7.1 rpg.) sprained the AC joint in his shoulder and was diagnosed as day-to-day. After missing two practices, McDermott returned and scored 35 points on Xavier on Jan. 12, then put up 28 points in 27 minutes on Butler two days later. Since the injury, all McDermott has done is score 121 points in 136 minutes of playing time.

A Wonderful DayDoug McDermott celebrated his first game since his 22nd birthday with 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in a 13-point road win at Seton Hall on Jan. 4th. McDermott was Creighton’s first player with a 30 point, 10 rebound, five assist line in the same game since Benoit Benjamin had 45 points, 16 rebounds and five assists on Jan. 19, 1985 vs. Indiana State.

Ball Control OffenseCreighton had just four turnovers in 66 possessions vs. Seton Hall on Jan. 4th, its fewest in any games of Greg McDermott’s four-year tenure on the Bluejay sideline. Just 10 days later, the Bluejays did it again in a victory over Butler. Creighton’s four turnovers were its fewest since having three miscues on Feb. 1, 2005 in a win vs. Wichita State, a span of 335 games.

Strong Start To League PlayBefore Saturday’s loss to Providence, Creighton started 5-0 in league play for the third time in 12 years (also 2002-03 and 2012-13). Since the start of the NIT and NCAA Tournaments, the Bluejays have made the postseason all four times it has opened league play 5-0. Last season Creighton started Missouri Valley Conference play with a 6-0 mark en route to an eventual regular-season title.

Impressive 125 Game StartA Jan. 7 win at DePaul marked the 125th game at Creighton for Greg McDermott. During that time, he won 93 games, two MVC Tournament titles, one MVC regular-season title and two NCAA Tournament games while having three of his teams ranks among the top-six nationally in average home attendance. The game was also McDermott’s 600th career game as a head coach, and made him 373-227.

Scoring Early & OftenDoug McDermott has scored in double-figures before the second media timeout in seven of Creighton’s last 11 games, and 10 of Creighton’s 19 games this season. In 19 games this year, McDermott has scored 172 points before checking out for the first time, logging a collective 165:43 of court time before hitting the bench. That gives him 1.04 points per minute to start games, good for a 41.52 points per game average if her were to maintain it over the course of 40 minutes. Looking only at the first five minutes of games this season, McDermott has scored 107 points in those 95 minutes, an average of 1.13 points per minute and a per-40 minute average of 45.1 points per game at that pace.

Playing With A LeadIn the 11 year history of CenturyLink Center Omaha, Creighton has led wire-to-wire in 47 games, including all five December home games this season, and the Jan. 14 Butler game. That means the Jays haven’t trailed in six of the past seven home contests. Creighton has trailed for just 16:19 of 400:00 minutes this season at home, and just 20:33 of its last 480:00 minutes during its 12-game home win streak. Impressively, Creighton has not trailed at any point in the second half during that home win streak, winning all 12 games by six or more points.

Good As GoldNot only has Creighton started games quickly this season, but the Bluejays have also done a good job maintaining those leads. The Bluejays have won 25 straight games when leading with 5:00 to play. Overall under Greg McDermott, Creighton is 87-4 when leading with 5:00 left, including victories in 49 of the last 50 scenarios. The Bluejays are also 3-0 under McDermott when tied with 5:00 to play. CU is 5-29 under McDermott when trailing with 5:00 left, with the last such rally coming on Feb. 25, 2011 at Indiana State.

He’s The Man(igat)Jahenns Manigat averaged a modest 5.6 points per game in the first eight contests this season, making 15-of-33 field goal attempts (45.4 percent). Since returning home from CU’s eight-day trek to California in early December, Manigat has averaged 10.1 points on 41-of-82 marksmanship (50 percent) from the floor, including 28-of-58 (48.3 percent) from downtown. He also owns a 45 assist, seven turnover ratio in that time. Manigat scored 15 points on Dec. 29 in a win over Chicago State, sinking 5-of-7 three-point shots. Manigat then had season-highs with 16 points, six rebounds and six assists in CU’s win over Marquette two nights later. Manigat continued his hot streak with 14 points, four rebounds and four assists at Seton Hall on Jan. 4. This was the first time he’s scored in double-digits three straight games.

Give Me FiveCreighton’s win vs. Chicago State on Dec. 29th was the Jays fifth straight this season, a streak that reached 10 after a Jan. 14 win vs. Butler. The Bluejays have now had at least one five-game win streak in 16 of the last 17 seasons. Since 1988-89, the Bluejays have made the NCAA’s, NIT or CBI all 18 previous times they’ve had a five-game winning streak in a season, but missed the NCAA/NIT/CBI all seven times they haven’t.

3’s vs. 2’sIn Creighton’s last 12 games, the Bluejays have attempted 682 shot attempts, with nearly half (318) of those coming from beyond the arc. Creighton has made 197-of-364 two-pointers in that time, accounting for 394 points (1.08 points per shot). Creighton has made 138-of-318 three-pointers in that time, accounting for 414 points (1.30 points per shot). In its Dec. 29 win vs. Chicago State, Creighton made 16-of-25 three-point attempts, good for 1.92 points per shot attempt from deep. To earn the same point total (48 points) from 25 two-point attempts, Creighton would need to shoot 24-for-25 (96 percent). Perhaps that’s why Greg McDermott said in the postgame press conference: “If you’re going to give us an open 3-point shot, that’s the best percentage shot we can get.” Chicago State head coach Tracy Dildy agreed, “We’ve watched every game they had played, and we knew this was the best shooting team in the country. If there is another team in the country that shoots the ball like these guys shoot, I would love to see that team.”

More Numbers From DeepCreighton tied a school-record on Dec. 31 vs. Marquette with 35 attempts from three-point range, something previously done vs. North Carolina A&T (11/11/11) and at Bradley (2/1/11). The Bluejays matched the mark on Jan. 20 at #4 Villanova, when it also made a program- and BIG EAST record 21 trifectas.

Consistent ChallengersEleven of Creighton’s last 16 teams finished either first or second in The Valley’s regular-season race. Two of the five that didn’t won the MVC Tournament. The Bluejays won the MVC in 2000-01 and 2012-13, tied for the title in 2001-02 and 2008-09. CU was second in the MVC in 1997-98 and 2006-07, tied for second in the MVC in 1998-99, 2003-04 and 2005-06, and finished tied for third in 2004-05. The 1999-00 club was fourth in the MVC, but won the MVC Tournament, while the 2010-11 club tied for fourth place.Creighton’s MVC Finishes, Last 16 Years1st Place 2000-01, 2012-13Tied for First 2001-02 (won MVC Tourn.), 2008-092nd Place 1997-98, 2002-03 (won MVC Tourn.), 2006-07 (won MVC Tourn.), 2011-12 (won MVC Tourn.)Tied for 2nd 1998-99 (won MVC Tourn.), 2003-04, 2005-06Tied for 3rd Place 2004-05 (won MVC Tourn.)4th Place 1999-00 (won MVC Tourn.); 2007-08; 2009-10Tied for 4th Place 2010-11

Consistency A KeyDoug McDermott has scored 20 or more points in 16 of the 19 games he’s played in this season, and 23 of his last 27 contests dating to last season. He had 19 points in two of the games where he didn’t reach 20 points. Nationally, only 30 players average 20 points per game or more, which gives you an idea of how hard it is to reach that mark on a nightly basis.

Dougie McAutomatic?Doug McDermott was a perfect 13-for-13 at the line on Dec. 17 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff. McDermott became the first Bluejay to be perfect in 13 or more attempts from the line since Doug Brookins went 16-for-16 on Dec. 16, 1974. In addition to Brookins, the only other CU players to make all of their 13+ attempts in the same game were Mike Caruso (14-14 on 1/21/70) and Bob Portman (13-13 on 1/13/68).

Toe The LineCreighton shot a school-record 75.9 percent from the free-throw line last season, and with much of the same team back, it’s no surprise the team is shooting 75.5 percent at the line in 2013-14. Creighton has shot 77.3 percent or better from the stripe in 10 of the last 13 games, connecting on 180-of-225 overall (80.0 percent) in that time. Creighton has missed two or less free throws in six of its last 10 games, going 24-for-26 vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 11-of-13 vs. Cal, 20-of-22 vs. Chicago State, 4-for-4 vs. Marquette, 7-of-8 at Seton Hall and 12-of-13 at Providence.

Defense ImprovesTwo years ago Creighton ranked 222nd in the nation in field goal percentage defense, as teams shot 44.1 percent from the field. Last year the squad improved to 77th nationally, as teams dropped to 40.7 percent from the floor against the Jays. The team continues to make strides in that area, holding foes to 40.8 percent marksmanship this year to rank 75th nationally. Only eight of Creighton’s first 19 opponents have shot 40 percent or better from the field this season. Creighton’s field goal percentage defense of 40.9 percent gives the team a chance to become the first squad since the 1962-63 club to hold foes to 40 percent (39.3%, 706-1795).

Full HouseLast year’s Creighton team ranked sixth nationally in average home attendance, averaging 17,155 fans per game. It’s the seventh straight season that CU has been among the nation’s top 25 in average home attendance, and set an MVC average home attendance record. The figure ranked ahead of 14 NBA teams (76ers, Rockets, Grizzlies, Wizards, Timberwolves, Cavaliers, Suns, Bobcats, Pacers, Hawks, Bucks, Pistons, Pelicans, Kings). Creighton also ranked sixth nationally in men’s soccer attendance and 10th in baseball attendance, the nation’s only school in the top-10 of those three sports. This year’s Creighton team is averaging 17,522 through 10 home dates, good for fourth-nationally.2013-14 Attendance Leaders (1/22) Rk. School Average Next Home 1. Syracuse 25,022 2/1 2. Kentucky 22,644 1/25 3. Louisville 20,888 1/30 4. Creighton 17,522 1/25 5. North Carolina 17,305 1/26 6. Indiana 17,302 1/26 7. Wisconsin 17,034 1/29 8. Kansas 16,519 1/29 9. Memphis 15,868 1/23 10. Ohio State 15,857 1/23

McDermott In Elite CompanySince the start of his sophomore year (2011-12), Doug McDermott has averaged 23.4 points and 7.8 rebounds per game in 90 contests. That makes him the only college player in the nation to average at least 23 points and seven rebounds per contest in that span. In same time, only NBA guys to do so are Kevin Durant (28.8 & 7.9), LeBron James (26.8 & 7.7), Carmelo Anthony (26.0 & 7.2) and Kevin Love (24.4 & 13.3).

Simply No ComparisonDoug McDermott’s stats this season of 24.8 points, 7.1 rebounds and 44.0 percent marksmanship from three-point range put him in even more elite company than imagined. Since 1997-98, no college player has averaged at least 24.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and shot 43 percent or better from three-point range over the course of an entire season (min. 15 3FG’s). In NBA history, no player has ever averaged 24.5 points, 7.0 or more rebounds and shot 43 percent or better from three-point range (min. 15 3FG’s).

Where There’s A WillWill Artino started Creighton’s first seven games, but has shined since returning to the reserve role he was used in during his first three seasons on campus. Artino averaged 5.7 points and 3.0 rebounds in 14.3 minutes per game during his seven starts, but has averaged 6.3 points and 4.4 rebounds in 12.7 minutes per contest in 12 games off the bench. Artino had a season-best 13 points off the bench at Long Beach State on Dec. 3, then snared a season-high seven rebounds in 11 minutes vs. Nebraska.When Artino StartsName PPG RPG MPGArtino 5.7 3.0 14.3Wragge 11.7 4.1 23.9Combined 17.4 7.1 38.2

Wragge Time!Ethan Wragge had 15 points vs. San Diego State, then added 16 more vs. George Washington two days later, before wrapping up CU’s trip to California with 15 points at Long Beach State two days later. It marked the first time in his career he’d posted back-to-back contests of 15 or more points, and made him the first Bluejay reserve with consecutive games of 15+ points since Cavel Witter on Dec. 22 & 29, 2009. Wragge finished three games at the Wooden Legacy averaging 12.3 points, 6.0 rebounds and 0.7 blocked shots. He tied for the Wooden Legacy lead with 11 three-point baskets, converting 47.8 percent of his 23 long-range attempts. Wragge now owns 15 straight games of two or more three-pointers and has twice tied a career-high with nine rebounds in his past 12 games. He also became the first player in CU history with 4+ three-pointers in five straight games.

Speaking of 30According to available school records, Doug McDermott owns 20 of the 126 games in Creighton history with 30 points or more. Only Bob Portman (22) has more, with Bob Harstad (12) the only other player besides McDermott with 10 or more such contests. In addition, McDermott’s six games this season of 30 points or more are tied for fifth-most in school history. He already owns fourth and fifth place on that list.Most 30-Point Games, Career 30-Pt. Games Name Years 22 Bob Portman 1966-69 20 Doug McDermott 2010-Pres. 12 Bob Harstad 1987-91 9 Paul Silas 1961-64 6 Wally Anderzunas 1965-67, 68-69 6 Cyril Baptiste 1969-71 6 Benoit Benjamin 1982-85

Thirty Point BuckDoug McDermott owns 33 points or more in five of his last 11 home games. He scored 41 points in his final home game last year vs. Wichita State (March 2), 37 against UMKC (Nov. 11), 33 vs. Tulsa (Nov. 23), 33 vs. Nebraska (Dec. 8) and 35 vs. Xavier (Jan. 12). McDermott’s 33 points were the most by a Bluejay against Nebraska since Duan Cole had 35 points on Dec. 7, 1991. In his last 11 home games, McDermott has played 345 minutes and scored a staggering 315 points. McDermott has scored 30 or more points in 20 career games. By comparison, all other Creighton players since 1991-92 have combined for 17 games of 30+ points in CU’s 715 games played in that period.

Experienced StartersOne reason for Creighton’s success is its veteran line-up. Creighton’s recent starting line-up (before Gibbs’ injury) has a combined 22 years of college experience under their belt, including 20 seasons at Creighton.Grant Gibbs is a sixth-year senior who is in his fourth year with the Bluejay program. He has started every game the past three seasons and before his recent injury was on pace to challenge CU’s record for career assists.Ethan Wragge is a fifth-year senior who medically redshirted after plantar fasciitis issues during his second year on campus. He is second in school history in three-pointers made, trailing only 11-year NBA veteran Kyle Korver. Both Jahenns Manigat and Doug McDermott are four-year seniors. McDermott has started every game of his career, while Manigat has started all but one of the last 106 games. McDermott already owns Creighton records for career points, field goals, three-point percentage and consecutive free throws made. According to Ken Pomeroy’s advanced statistics, Creighton’s line-up averages 2.39 years of experience, making the Bluejays the 18th-most veteran group nationally, and tops among the nation’s BCS schools.

Bench PointsCreighton’s bench has averaged 26.5 points and 15.4 rebounds per contest. The reserves are shooting 51.4% from the field and 40.6% from downtown. Both Ethan Wragge and Devin Brooks own games of 20 points or more this season in a reserve role.

Korver Sets NBA RecordCreighton alum Kyle Korver continues to extend his NBA record streak of games with a three-pointer. Korver enters Friday’s (Jan. 24) game with San Antonio with a three-pointer in 110 straight games, smashing Dana Barros’ previous league-record of 89. In 2009-10, Korver set an NBA single-season record by shooting 53.6 percent from three-point range, a record that still stands. Korver played at Creighton from 1999-2003 and owns the school record with 371 career three-pointers, helping the Bluejays to a 29-5 mark as a senior. Korver’s longest three-point streak at Creighton was 28 and snapped by Greg McDermott’s UNI team. His second-longest streak was 27 and snapped by Steve Merfeld’s Evansville team. Korver made at least one trifecta in 114 of his 128 games as a Bluejay.

Let’s Chat About AustinJunior point guard Austin Chatman had the best scoring day of his Creighton tenure on Nov. 23rd when he scored a career-high 19 points in an 82-72 win vs. Tulsa. Chatman had 15 points before the break and made a career-best four three-point hoops on the afternoon. More recently, Chatman had a career-best eight rebounds vs. George Washington on Dec. 1st. Chatman averaged 1.86 rebounds per game in his first two years on campus, but averages 3.9 per contest this season, including four or more caroms in 12 of 19 contests.

Chasing 3,000In Major League Baseball, producing 3,000 career hits is something that’s been done by just 24 Hall of Famers in history.Doug McDermott has a chance to become just the eighth Division I male in NCAA history to score 3,000 or more points if he can stay healthy and average roughly 25 points per game this season. To help put McDermott’s career in perspective, the chart on page eight shows how many points McDermott owns and which famous ballplayer that is most comparable to. This season alone, McDermott has surpassed legends like Mickey Mantle, Joe DiMaggio, Ryne Sandberg, Mike Schmidt, Kirby Puckett, Ernie Banks and Willie Stargell.

Productive MinutesAccording to bbstate.com, Doug McDermott ranks first nationally this season with 31.5 points per 40 minutes played. McDermott led the same category last year with 29.3 points per 40 minutes, and was second as a sophomore at 28.7 points per 40 minutes.

Rare AirDoug McDermott had 33 points and 15 rebounds in a Nov. 23 win vs. Tulsa, leading to some additional research on the senior All-American. McDermott was the first Creighton player with at least 33 points and 15 rebounds since Bob Harstad’s 33/17 on December 6, 1989 vs. Cleveland State.

Quick Starts Key To Playing in PostseasonIncluding this year, Creighton has started off 3-0 (or better) in 13 of the last 15 seasons. Each of Creighton’s last 14 3-0 starts have been culminated in a postseason tournament appearance at the end of the year. This season marks the third straight year Creighton has opened 4-0, something last done from 2002-03 to 2004-05. The only other time CU started 4-0 in three straight years had come in a five-year stretch from 1916-17 to 1920-21.

Wragge Bombs AwayEthan Wragge has attempted 148 of his 154 shots this season from three-point range, sinking an incredible 74 of them (50.0 percent) behind the arc. He was 7-for-11 from deep in CU’s 83-79 win at Saint Joseph’s on Nov. 16, the most treys by a Bluejay in a game since Booker Woodfox had seven (also at Saint Joseph’s) in 2008, before tying Kyle Korver’s school record with nine three-pointers at No. 4 Villanova on Jan. 20th. With four three-pointers vs. George Washington on Dec. 1, Wragge moved past Ryan Sears into second place in Creighton history for career trifectas. He now owns 297 career treys. He also ranks fifth in CU history with 44.1 percent marksmanship from downtown. For his career, Wragge has attempted 675-of-728 shots from beyond the arc.

McDermott, For The WinDoug McDermott drained his first career game-winner in a Nov. 16 victory at Saint Joseph’s. With Creighton trailing by one and 6.9 seconds left, McDermott caught an inbounds pass, hit a fadeaway jumper, and was fouled. He converted the three-point play in CU’s eventual 83-79 win. Said McDermott after the game “I didn’t know how to celebrate…I’ve never hit one before.” McDermott is now 7-for-9 from the field and 20-for-24 from the line in the last minute of games in the past two seasons. Creighton had not won a game when trailing in the final minute of overtime since Feb. 21, 2012, when Josh Jones hit a game-winner to beat Evansville in the final 30 seconds of overtime. Creighton had also tied that same game as time expired on a Gregory Echenique tip-in to close regulation. Creighton last won a road game when trailing in the final minute on Jan. 7, 2011, at Southern Illinois, taking the lead for good with 36 seconds left on two Darryl Ashford free throws. Creighton last won a game away from home when trailing in the final five seconds on March 6, 2009, when Booker Woodfox hit a buzzer-beater to stun Wichita State in the MVC Tournament quarterfinals.

Martelli On McDermottEven before Doug McDermott hit a three-point play to beat Saint Joseph’s, Hawks coach Phil Martelli was overwhelmingly complimentary on the skills of Doug McDermott. Here’s what he had to say about McDermott prior to the game: “The country is gaga over these freshmen but McDermott’s the best player in the country. Tell me who does more for their team. They can give the awards at the end of the year to the freshmen because of the media blitz, but that kid is a magnificent, magnificent player.”

Just Like Viejas Arena?Creighton’s win at Saint Joseph’s had some similarities to its road win at San Diego State two years ago. In both games, Creighton faced an early double-digit deficit before cutting into the lead before half (17 at SDSU, 13 at SJU). In both games, Creighton got big nights from Ethan Wragge (19 points at SDSU, 21 at SJU). In both games, Creighton held on to a lead in the last 10 seconds. In both games, Creighton was playing its first true road game of the season, and in front of a sellout crowd known as one of the toughest atmospheres in college basketball.

Big Deficits, Big DealCreighton overcame a 13-point deficit to win at Saint Joseph’s on Nov. 16 before posting an 83-79 win, then overcame another 13-point deficit to beat Xavier on Jan. 12th. It was the 10th and 11th times in four seasons under Greg McDermott that the Jays have won a game its trailed by double-figures at some point, including six such comebacks away from home. On the other hand, CU is 83-5 under McDermott when putting together double-digit leads, including wins 71 of the last 72 times.Double-Digit Comebacks Under Greg McDermottDeficit Opponent Date17 at San Diego State 11/30/1116 at Evansville 02/16/1314 Evansville 02/21/1213 at Saint Joseph’s 11/16/1313 Xavier 01/12/1412 Saint Joseph’s 12/11/1011 at Wichita State 12/31/1111 Northern Iowa 01/10/1211 vs. Alabama 03/16/1210 UAB 11/14/1210 vs. Drake 03/02/12

@McDermottAlert Has You CoveredRather than clog up its other social media accounts with the many exploits of Doug McDermott, Creighton Athletics has created a Twitter account specific to him, that can be found at twitter.com/McDermottAlert. It contains links to dozens of national profiles and stats on the senior forward, and owns more than 1,500 followers.

Jays Sign A Pair Of RecruitsA pair of high school basketball standouts have signed letters-of-intent to play at Creighton University. Leon Gilmore III and Ronnie Harrell will both be freshmen when they enroll in the fall of 2014 and have four years of eligibility. Gilmore is a 6’7” wing from Manvel, Texas, who attends Manvel High School and plays for coach Greg Devers. As a high school junior, he helped his team to a 30-6 record by averaging 13.7 points, 6.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 2.0 steals per game. Gilmore competes for the Houston Hoops AAU program. Harrell is a 6’7” wing from Denver (Colo.) East High School, where he plays for Rudy Carey. As a junior he averaged 13.0 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game, helping the Angels reach the state title game. On the AAU circuit, Harrell plays for Billups Elite, which is supported by his cousin, NBA veteran Chauncey Billups.

20-20-20-20-20-20 VisionDoug McDermott opened his senior season with 20 points vs. Alcorn State, 37 points vs. UMKC, 20 points at Saint Joseph’s, 33 points vs. Tulsa, 27 points vs. Arizona State and 30 points vs. San Diego State. In the process, he became the first Bluejay to start a season with at least five consecutive games of 20 or more points since Bob Portman opened with five straight games in 1968-69.

Use The Four’sDoug McDermott converted a rare four-point play on Nov. 11 vs. UMKC, sinking a three-point shy while being fouled before making the subsequent free throw. Isaiah Zierden followed suit on Nov. 28 vs. Arizona State. Avery Dingman became the third Bluejay to do it when he converted a four-point play at DePaul on Jan. 7. In Greg McDermott’s four-year tenure at Creighton, the only previous players with a four-point play had been Kaleb Korver and Ethan Wragge, who had done it once each.

Crowd ControlCreighton’s sellout crowd of 17,740 on Nov. 8 vs. Alcorn State was its largest ever for a home-opener. It was also Creighton’s largest home crowd for any November game, and the ninth-largest home crowd in program history.

Hottest Ticket in TownCreighton Basketball has proven to be a hot ticket in recent years, but the anticipation for this season has taken those levels up a notch. Creighton sold more than 15,100 season tickets for the first time, a figure that doesn’t factor in students. Last year’s record was 13,739. Creighton has also sold more than 2,100 all-session tickets for the BIG EAST Tournament already, the most by any league school since Connecticut in 2006. When single-game tickets went on sale on Oct. 29, seven games sold out within an hour, including less than 20 minutes for games vs. Marquette, Georgetown, Nebraska, Seton Hall and Chicago State.

Nation’s Best Offense?You can make a case that Creighton boasted the nation’s best offensive production last year. Creighton was second in the country in field goal percentage (50.1) and three-point percentage (41.4), third in two-point field goal percentage (55.7), ninth in free-throw percentage (75.9) and 10th in three-pointers per game (8.5). Below is where Creighton ranked nationally in the first three years of the Greg McDermott tenure (does not include 2013-14):Category Stat NCAA Rank ‘13-14FG Percentage .487 1st .4953FG Percentage .401 2nd .436Assists 1,793 4th 358Assists/Game 16.30 5th 18.83FG Made 874 6th 216Assist/Turnover Ratio 1.34 10th 1.87FG Made 2,852 13th 544Wins 80 T-16th 16Winning Pct. .727 26th .842

Ask The ExpertsESPN had 20 experts predict the 2013-14 season. Nine of them (Jay Bilas, Adrian Branch, Elena Bergeron, Dan Dakich, Jimmy Dykes, Myron Medcalf, Digger Phelps, Miles Simon and Dick Vitale) predicted Doug McDermott would be National Player of the Year. CBS Sports asked six experts to predict the 2013-14 season. Two of them (Doug Gottlieb and Jon Rothstein) picked McDermott would be National Player of the Year. Sports Illustrated had four experts predict the 2014-14 season. Two of them (Seth Davis and Luke Winn) picked McDermott would be National Player of the Year. All told, McDermott collected 13 votes, Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart 10 votes, Kansas’ Andrew Wiggins three votes, Kentucky’s Julius Randle three votes and Louisville’s Russ Smith one vote.

Weekly Honor For McDermott Doug McDermott was named National Player of the Week by ESPN.com and BIG EAST Conference Player of the Week on Nov. 16th after averaging 25.7 points and 5.7 rebounds in three Creighton wins to start the season. McDermott made 55.8 percent from the field, 53.3 percent from three-point land, and 78.6 percent of his free throw attempts. McDermott then earned his second consecutive BIG EAST Player of the Week honor on Nov. 23rd when he got the nod following a 33 point, 15 rebound showing in a 82-72 triumph vs. Tulsa. McDermott earned his third BIG EAST honor on Dec. 9 after averaging 27.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in lopsided wins over Long Beach State and Nebraska. Including his seven MVC Newcomer of the Week honors in 2010-11, 13 MVC Player of the Week honors from 2011-13, and five BIG EAST Player of the Week accolades of 2013-14, McDermott has now won at least one conference weekly award from the MVC or BIG EAST in 25 of 59 weeks since enrolling at Creighton.

McDermott Honored at Wooden LegacyDoug McDermott added to his career honor roll when he picked up All-Tournament Team accolades at the Wooden Legacy. McDermott led all players by averaging 21.3 points per game and also topped all players with 21 field goals made and 16 defensive rebounds. San Diego State’s Xavier Thames was named Wooden Legacy MVP after leading the Aztecs to the title.

Brooks Breaks Harden’s RecordDevin Brooks set a Wooden Legacy for three-point marksmanship. Brooks was 6-for-8 from long-range at the Wooden Legacy (75.0 percent), well ahead of the previous mark set by James Harden of 66.7 percent (10-15) in 2008.

Record WatchWith seven field goals on Nov. 8, Doug McDermott took over sole possession of first place on Creighton’s all-time field goals made list. He now owns 972 in his career. He had entered the season tied with Chad Gallagher (1987-91) for the school-record with 811. McDermott also made four free throws vs. Alcorn State, passing MLB Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson for third in CU history, and now owns 518.

Preseason AcclaimDoug McDermott has garnered a ton of preseason hype you’d expect from a returning two-time consensus First Team All-American. In addition to being named the Preseason BIG EAST Player of the Year, McDermott has also been named a Preseason First Team All-American by the Associated Press, USA Today, Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, CBSSports.com, NBCSports.com and Sporting News. McDermott is also one of 30 candidates for the Senior CLASS Award, one of 15 men named to the Oscar Robertson Trophy Watch List, and one of 50 players on the preseason watch list for the John R. Wooden Award.

Going For 20, AgainCreighton has won 20 or more games in 14 of the last 15 seasons, a feat that puts the Jays among an exclusive group, nationally. Just five schools nationally have had 20 or more wins each of the last 15 years: Duke, Florida, Gonzaga, Kansas and Syracuse. Creighton is one of four schools with 20 or more wins in exactly 14 of the past 15 years. That list consists of Creighton, Kent State, Kentucky and Utah State. That’s better than traditional powers Arizona, Connecticut and Memphis (13 each) and also ahead of Michigan State, Pittsburgh and Wisconsin (12 each).

10 Conference Wins x 17Last season’s Creighton team won 10 or more league games for a 17th consecutive season. On a national basis, the only other current school with at least 17 straight years of 10 or more league wins is Kansas (19). Each of the last 17 seasons has seen the team finish fourth place or better in the league standings as well, though all of those took place in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Postseason x 16Creighton has made the postseason in 16 consecutive seasons. The only eight schools to make the postseason in each of the last 16 years are Creighton, Duke, Florida, Gonzaga, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan State and Syracuse.

Postseason Win StreakThanks to an NCAA Tournament win over Cincinnati last spring, the Creighton men’s basketball team has now won a postseason game in a school-record six straight seasons. The previous mark was three in a row from 1962-64. The following five programs are the only ones that have won a postseason game in six straight seasons, including 2012-13: Creighton, Kansas, North Carolina, Purdue and Syracuse.

Preseason BIG EAST PollCreighton was picked to finish third in its first season as BIG EAST Conference members according to a preseason poll of league coaches. Marquette was picked first with 74 points and five first-place votes, while Georgetown (70, 2) was also selected ahead of the Bluejays (61, 1). Rounding out the top half were Villanova (58) and St. John’s (56, 2). Creighton forward Doug McDermott was named preseason BIG EAST Conference Player of the Year by the coaches.

I Know What You Did Last SummerSenior forward Doug McDermott served as a captain for Team USA last summer at the World University Games in Kazan, Russia. Playing under the direction of coaches Bob McKillop (Davidson), John Beilein (Michigan) and Frank Martin (South Carolina), McDermott led the team in scoring (14.1 ppg.), field goals (39), three-pointers (18), free throws (17), free-throw percentage (.895) and minutes (23.8) as the team went 6-2 in eight games. On his way back from Russia, McDermott was invited to the USA Basketball Men’s National Team Mini-Camp along with 28 of the NBA’s rising stars and fellow collegian Marcus Smart (Oklahoma State), where he received rave reviews.

Army of IowansEvery Creighton team since 1988-89 has had at least one Iowa native, and this season is no exception. Creighton has five players from Iowa on this season’s team, continuing a long trend of relying on some of the Hawkeye State’s top preps. CU’s Iowans this season includes seniors Grant Gibbs (Marion) and Doug McDermott (Ames), junior Will Artino (Waukee), sophomore Alex Olsen (Council Bluffs) and freshman John Burns (Algona). Other past notable Iowans include Kyle Korver (Pella), Ryan Sears (Ankeny), Brody Deren (Harlan), Tyler McKinney (Urbandale) and Nate Funk (Sioux City). Creighton has played at least one Iowa native in 640 straight games. That streak dates to a Feb. 5, 1994 win against Wichita State.

Long-Distance Streak AliveCreighton has made at least one three-pointer in 664 straight games since a 59-53 loss at Illinois State on Feb. 20, 1993.

CenturyLink Center Omaha SuccessCreighton has played 180 regular and postseason contests at CenturyLink Center Omaha all-time in 11 seasons at the facility. The Bluejays own an 155-25 (.861) record all-time at the facility, and have never lost there on a Thursday (7-0) or Friday (7-0). Creighton has outscored its opponents 13,579-11,474 in games at CenturyLink Center Omaha, an average margin of 11.7 points per game. Creighton has led wire-to-wire 47 different times, including five times last season and the Nebraska, Arkansas-Pine Bluff, California, Chicago State, Marquette and Butler games this year. Creighton is also 23-15 all-time in the 38 games at CLCO in which it’s fallen behind by double-figures.

Big Margin Leads To Big ThingsCreighton’s 107-61 win on Nov. 8 vs. Alcorn State was its highest point total in a season-opener ever, one point more than the 2002-03 team that opened with a 106-50 win over Texas-Arlington. The 2002-03 team went on to be 29-5. Eight of Creighton’s 18 all-time NCAA Tournament teams have scored 90 or more points in their season-opener. Here’s a look at Creighton’s last six teams to score 90 or more in a season-opener. Final Post- Score Opponent Date W-L Season 107-61 Alcorn State 11/08/13 ? ? ? ? ? 97-65 N. Carolina A&T 11/11/11 29-6 NCAA 106-50 Texas-Arlington 11/17/02 29-5 NCAA 96-50 Western Illinois 11/20/00 24-8 NCAA 93-48 Towson State 11/14/98 22-9 NCAA 93-47 UT-San Antonio 11/30/90 24-8 NCAA

Everybody’s All-AmericanDoug McDermott hauled in All-America honors on a regular basis last year. He was named a First Team All-American by the Associated Press, NABC, USBWA, Basketball Times, CBSSports.com and ESPN.com, and a second-team selection by The Sporting News. He was also named to the 10-man John R. Wooden Award All-America team. Prior to McDermott, the only other player honored by the USBWA with All-America status had been second-team selection Kyle Korver in 2003, and the only prior NABC selections from Creighton had been second-teamer Paul Silas (1964) and third-team selections Benoit Benjamin (1985) and Korver (2003).

Oscar, Bird, DougDoug McDermott set a Creighton (and MVC) record for points by a freshman with 581 in 2010-11. As a sophomore McDermott had 801 points, joining Oscar Robertson and Larry Bird as the only sophomores in MVC history with at least 800 points in a season. Last year McDermott became the first player in MVC history to reach 2,000 career points as a junior, and joined Robertson and Bird as the only players in league history to reach 2,000 points in less than three seasons of work. Below is a list of the most prolific scorers in MVC history, as well as the top single-season scorers in Creighton history (all classes):Top Scorers, MVC History (All Years) Pts. Name, School Years1125 Hersey Hawkins, Bradley 1987-88 1011 Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati 1959-60984 Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati 1957-58978 Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati 1958-59973 Larry Bird, Indiana State 1978-79959 Larry Bird, Indiana State 1977-78918 Larry Bird, Indiana State 1976-77844 Xavier McDaniel, Wichita State 1984-85 834 Doug McDermott, Creighton 2012-13815 Lewis Lloyd, Drake 1979-80801 Doug McDermott, Creighton 2011-12

Scoring In NumbersDoug McDermott owned 834 points in 36 games last year, an average of 23.2 per contest that ranked him second nationally in scoring. McDermott’s 23.2 points per game ranked fourth-most in CU single-season history and were the most since Bob Portman averaged 26.2 points per game in 1968-69. Portman, who finished fifth nationally in scoring in 1967-68 (29.5 ppg.), was the only previous Bluejay to ever rank in the top-10 of the year-end scoring leaders, before McDermott did it each of the past two seasons (3rd in 2011-12, 2nd last year). McDermott’s 23.2 points per game were the most by a MVC player since Bradley’s Curtis Stuckey (25.1 ppg.) in 1990-91.

Father/Son DuosAccording to the website CollegeHoopedia.com, Doug McDermott is just the sixth man in NCAA history to be named conference player of the year while playing for his father. Joining them on that elite list are Dick/Mark Acres (Oral Roberts), Dick/Tony Bennett (UW Green Bay), Homer/Bryce Drew (Valparaiso), Press/Pete Maravich (LSU) and Clifford/C.J. Reed (Bethune-Cookman). Below is a list compiled by ESPN.com of most points scored by a guy playing for his dad:Name, School Points FatherPete Maravich,LSU 3,667 PressAllan Houston, Tennessee 2,801 WadeDoug McDermott, Creighton 2,688 GregTony Bennett, UWGB 2,285 DickBryce Drew, Valparaiso 2,142 Homer

Repeat All-AmericanDoug McDermott joined some elite company by being named a First Team All-American by the USBWA, Associated Press and the NABC for a second consecutive season last spring. He is the 70th player to repeat the honor from the USBWA, 55th from the NABC, and 51st in the history of the Associated Press. If McDermott is named First Team All-American by the AP this year, he’ll become the first three-time first team selection since Patrick Ewing and Wayman Tisdale from 1983-85.

Not Half BadDoug McDermott’s highest scoring half of his career has been 31 points, done as a sophomore in the second half at Bradley when he scored a career-best 44 points. McDermott has scored 15 points or more in a half 56 times during his career, and Creighton is 46-3 in those contests (seven times he’s scored 15 or more in both halves). McDermott owns 13 halves in his career with 20 or more points, and just six scoreless halves.

The 800 ClubCreighton’s Doug McDermott led the nation with 834 points last season after owning a league-high (and second-most nationally) 801 as a sophomore. McDermott joined Oscar Robertson and Larry Bird as the third player in MVC history with multiple 800-point seasons. Nationwide, McDermott was the first player with consecutive seasons of 800 points or more since Stephen Curry (Davidson) and Lester Hudson (Tennessee-Martin) in both 2007-08 and 2008-09.

Supporting CastDoug McDermott was Creighton’s only player to average in double-figures last year, but he had lots of support to help lead the Jays to 28 wins. Creighton was 11-0 when Ethan Wragge scored in double-figures last year. CU is 37-3 under Greg McDermott when Wragge shoots 50 percent or better from three-point range, and 28-3 under McDermott when Wragge scores in double-figures. Creighton was 8-1 when Austin Chatman scored in double-figures last year. Creighton was 6-2 when Jahenns Manigat scored in double-figures last year. CU is now 25-1 all-time when Manigat makes three or more 3-pointers, including 23 straight wins, and the Jays are 25-2 (with 23 straight wins) when Manigat shoots better than 50 percent from 3-point range. Creighton is 14-0 all-time when Avery Dingman makes multiple three-pointers. Creighton is 45-4 all-time when Will Artino (63.6 percent) misses a field goal attempt.

His Own Game of H-O-R-S-EDoug McDermott led the nation in 2011-12 with 307 field goals made, and his 284 buckets last year once again led the nation. Prior to McDermott, no player had led the country in field goals made in back-to-back seasons since at least 1995-96. One area that makes McDermott so unique is his ability to use his off (left) hand, and to use the backboard, as seen below:Year FG Backboard Left-Hand2010-11 220 64 282011-12 307 174 562012-13 284 132 262013-14 161 59 14Totals 972 429 124

What A Start!Greg McDermott is 96-33 on the Creighton sideline early in his fourth year at the helm. The 96 wins are already the most in Creighton history in the first four seasons.Most Wins at CU, First Four SeasonsCoach Years W-L After 4 YrsGreg McDermott 2010-Pres. 96-33 so farTom Apke 1974-78 79-30Eddie Sutton 1969-73 59-43Tony Barone 1985-89 57-62Red McManus 1959-63 56-46Dana Altman 1994-98 54-59Thomas E. Mills 1916-20 53-6Willis Reed 1981-85 52-65A.A. Schabinger 1922-26 50-18

Rasmussen Named to MBB CommitteeCreighton Athletic Director Bruce Rasmussen began a five-year term on the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee on September 1st. He is the only newcomer to the committee for the 2013-14 academic year, replacing last year’s chair, Mike Bobinski.

Championship Duo, Men & WomenCreighton was one of seven schools that won a regular-season conference title in both men’s and women’s basketball last year. That elite group consists of Montana (Big Sky), Akron (Mid-American), Texas Southern (Southwestern Athletic), South Dakota State (Summit), Middle Tennessee (Sun Belt), Gonzaga (West Coast) and Creighton (Missouri Valley).

Pizza Pie, Piled High = WinsThanks to a promotion with Omaha-based Godfather’s Pizza, Creighton season ticket-holders can get a free mini pizza any time the Jays score 75 points at home. History has proven that when the team earns the fans pizza, it often leads to a victory as well. The first three years of CenturyLink Center Omaha (2003-06), Creighton needed 70 points to earn its fans free pizza, and the Jays went 27-3 when reaching that threshold, closing out that run with 12 straight wins. Since upping the standard to 75 points prior to the 2006-07 campaign, Creighton is a perfect 75-0 when scoring 75 points or more at CenturyLink Center Omaha. In other words, Creighton is a perfect 87-0 in CenturyLink Center Omaha since Feb. 6, 2005 when scoring enough points to earn its fans some free pizza.

Good As GoldSince Greg McDermott took over three years ago, Creighton is averaging 79.42 points per home game (5,162 points in 65 home games). That’s a vital number since Creighton is 101-0 at home (72-0 at CenturyLink Center Omaha) when scoring 78 points or more and 85-0 at home (58-0 at CenturyLink Center Omaha) when scoring 80 points or more at home dating to a 92-83 loss to Southern Illinois on Feb. 19, 2000.

Last Season RecapCreighton went 28-8 and reached the third round of the MVC Tournament last season. Creighton was ranked in the Associated Press top-25 in 16-of-20 weeks and finished 22nd in the year-end poll.Doug McDermott ranked second nationally in scoring (23.2), breaking his own school-record with 834 points. He repeated as a consensus First Team All-American while also sweeping MVC Player of the Year and MVC Tournament MVP honors for a second straight winter.Gregory Echenique (9.7 ppg., 6.6 rpg.) and Grant Gibbs (8.5 ppg., 5.8 apg.) were named Honorable-Mention All-Valley, while Ethan Wragge nabbed Sixth Man of the Year accolades. The Jays ranked second nationally in field goal percentage (.501) and three-point percentage (.414), fourth in assists (16.9), sixth in home attendance (17,155) and ninth in free throw percentage (.759). Creighton defeated Wichita State in the regular-season finale to claim the outright MVC title before winning its league-record 12th Valley Tournament title to clinch an NCAA bid with another win over the Shockers. At the NCAA’s, Creighton topped Cincinnati 67-63 before falling to No. 6 Duke in the third round.

Shuttle Service Provided AgainChief Bus will provide complimentary shuttle service from the Creighton University campus to CenturyLink Center Omaha for all men’s basketball home games this season. The service is available to all fans, not just Creighton students. The shuttle will start 75 minutes before tip-off and shuttles will continue to operate the route during the game. The three designated stops for pick-up around the CU campus are: 24th & California (nearside/southbound); 20th & Cass (nearside/eastbound) and at Billy Blues Alumni Grill (outside the Mike & Josie Harper Center in the turnaround which is on the east side of the building). The shuttle will then go eastbound on Capitol Avenue and then go north up 10th Street for drop-off at the CenturyLink Center Omaha convention center entrance. The route is designed for each shuttle driver to make a roundtrip every 15 minutes. Following the game’s conclusion, the shuttle will start at the CenturyLink Center Omaha convention center entrance on 10th Street and loop the original route with the first of three stops at 24th & California Streets.

Ticket InformationSingle-game tickets for the 2013-14 season went on sale on October 29th at 10 am. Fans can purchase single-game tickets at CenturyLink Center Omaha Box Office, Ryan Athletic Center, all Ticketmaster locations (Baker’s, Younkers), Ticketmaster online at http://www.ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster and charging by phone at (800) 745-3000. Only upper bowl seats will be available for any game. For more information, call the Creighton Ticket Office at (402) 280-JAYS.